[Unstable] There's Something About Tails

[DoomRater]

I'm liking the idea to make them optional to play through.

[Orb Swallowing Fox]

I could see a tutorial being not only separate, but also later in time once everything is much more truly concrete in the mod, seems more like a finishing touch to me.

[Project Shadowcat]

Since the question was answered affirmatively across the board, I've already begun work. Some hastily built rooms have been constructed before I get to scripting.

Relevant Tumblr post

[RV-007]

This could be a basic index of what is to come for the following maps. I suggest that it could be developed as a demo for other maps at the same time.

[Project Shadowcat]

Bump. Old image ahead. Another question for the masses.



Right, this is the current status bar for the TSAT game. The more I look at it from a “How will new players react to it” point of view, I keep thinking that this status bar is really, really cluttered.

I have some ideas on how to streamline the status bar with the assets I have (as in, the style of the bar will not really change) by removing certain elements, such as the ammo stockpiles on the far right, and the skill point and money counters on the left. Note that those features are not going to be removed entirely, only their displays. The Arms thing could also go; there is a Strife-style popup I can use if the player really needs to know their ammo counts and their current weapon inventory at a glance.

Comments and thoughts would be really appreciated. Do you want the current status bar and don’t mind how cluttered it is? Or do you have some ideas of your own on how to minimize it?

[Orb Swallowing Fox]

I'd probably stick with the current system rather than having to bring something up for any kind of information needed. Everything in one place is me and one less bind required.

[Sgt. Shivers]

The status bar is okay I guess, but it would be nice to have a fullscreen hud (HP + Ammo) as an option.

[Project Shadowcat]

The status bar is okay I guess, but it would be nice to have a fullscreen hud (HP + Ammo) as an option.

It needs to be redone slightly but it's already in.

[Orb Swallowing Fox]

Seeing that prior remark also reminds me, if I want to have a status bar taking any space on my screen (As I still usually play with alternative hud), I want it to tell as much info as possible in that bar to make that space usage meaningful. Doesn't mean I want the bar more compact or anything, I just want it crammed with as much meaningful info as possible for convenience if I'm going to bother even having it. Of all the status bars I've seen in most mods, this one is likely to see more use by me compared to others as I rather like it's style and info presentation, especially how dark it is so it doesn't glare quite as much in darker places on my screen.

[Viscra Maelstrom]

i think it looks okay. from a thorough look at it, the only thing i don't really get what it is is the the little box with "SP" next to it. otherwise i think i can get what everything means on it (cash, chaos emeralds, health, armor, flight gauge, arms, keys, ammunition, power rings, and amount of ammunition.) if people don't like the statusbar, they could always switch to the fullscreen one, i suppose. a bit cluttered, yes, but seems to be clear enough for me to understand what everything does, minus aforementioned SP.

[DoomRater]

Personally I'd see if it's possible to go DKC style with the HUD, having certain key information slide in when it changes and slide back out when not needed anymore. Or that could be the route to go with the minimalistic HUD size. Things I'd love to see pop up when in use include flight, arms, money, and SP. Another place to consider moving quest status stuff to is the automap screen.

[Project Shadowcat]

i think it looks okay. from a thorough look at it, the only thing i don't really get what it is is the the little box with "SP" next to it.

Skill points.

Personally I'd see if it's possible to go DKC style with the HUD, having certain key information slide in when it changes and slide back out when not needed anymore. Or that could be the route to go with the minimalistic HUD size. Things I'd love to see pop up when in use include flight, arms, money, and SP.

How does one do that? Can you even do that with SBARINFO?

Another place to consider moving quest status stuff to is the automap screen.

Right now that is triggered with a one button key press. I declined on using a Strife Popup for this one because multiple objectives could be active and/or completed.

[Xim]

I say stick with the old stat bar with all the info in it and have the full screen hud just have the condensed information.

[Project Shadowcat]

I say stick with the old stat bar with all the info in it and have the full screen hud just have the condensed information.

I think I'll go this route. Thanks for all of your input, everyone!

[DoomRater]

ACS might be better for managing the actual timeout values (fun fact: I theorized that it's possible to do with just DECORATE/SBARINFO) but yeah, it's definitely possible- the relevant code would be InInventory("flightbarTimeOut") { /*draw your flight bar here*/ } in SBARINFO and in ACS you'd check to see how things have changed if at all and if it has, you set the TimeOut value (which needs to be an inventory item) to however many tics you want the popup to stick around for, and if it hasn't, you decrement the TimeOut value by 1 until it reaches zero (is removed from your inventory).

Since you said you're not going to, I should probably whip up an example at some point. SBARINFO might not be as powerful as I'd like, since I can't do comparisons of existing values/inventory items in there, but it does have a few things I can take advantage of.